If you’re like us, you’re probably looking forward to certain traditional indulgences this Thanksgiving. After all, that’s what the holidays are about!
While it’s perfectly okay to fill up on favorite feast-worthy foods, we wanted to share a few tips to help you prioritize your plate real estate and practice moderation — in moderation of course.
How to Build a Balanced Thanksgiving Plate:
- Downsize your dinner plate. One simple trick to keeping portion sizes in check is to downsize that 10 – 12 inch dinner plate to a more modest-sized salad plate. You can always double back for seconds, but if you feel satisfied after one pass, this should leave you with enough room for a favorite dessert.
- Fill half of your plate with greens and veggies. Load up on sautéed green beans, roasted Brussels sprouts, or a green salad.
- Load a quarter of your plate with turkey. Having a hard time deciding between white and dark meat? They’re not all that different nutritionally. Just keep in mind, a true portion of turkey is about the size of a deck of cards.
- Top off the last quarter of your plate with your favorite starches, like roasted yams, mashed potatoes or that too-good-to-resist stuffing.
When you’ve finished eating what’s on your plate, give your meal time to sink in before you decide to go for seconds. Have a glass of water and enjoy the conversation! If you decide you’ve got room for another round, go only for the foods you really want, and repeat steps 2 to 4 to keep portion sizes in check.
Cheers to a healthy start to the holiday season!
